Just A Number?
by Dizzy the Manhunter
Summary: Julius has fallen prey to the whimsical charm of his friend's favorite girl. Too bad she's thirty years younger than him. Ten stand-alone vignettes that exlpore what was thought to be a taboo romance.
1. Senior Moment

It was a quiet morning around the Hakuba estate.

Mina, the manor's little mistress, was busy in the kitchen with her daily, boring chores.

Everyone but Mina had a job or life outside of the estate. Yoko and Julius worked for the Church as monster exterminators. Soma would leave every morning with Genya on 'official business', and Hammer was a weapons technician for the Japanese Army. What did Mina do?

She was the house maid, a prisoner within her own home.

She heaved a sigh and sluggishly went about her work. The manor had taken on at least four additional residents within the past six months and it made Mina's work load even heavier. She actually enjoyed caring for everyone and cleaning up. However, it was insipidly dull compared to what her friends were accomplishing.

A creaking sound in the floorboards behind Mina told her that Julius was finally up. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled up at him before returning to the pile of dishes in the sink.

Julius approached her from behind and asked suddenly, "Hey, Mina, have you seen a cell phone lying around here?"

Mina paused for a moment to recount her morning. She turned her attention towards the table and then back to Julius. With a frown, she replied, "I'm sorry, Mr. Belmont, but I haven't. Did you lose it?"

"Kind of." Julius answered in a frustrated voice. He had been more absentminded than usual lately and it was starting to aggravate him. Genya had blamed it on old age but Julius refused to believe such an outlandish notion. He still had the strength and agility of a twenty year old man. And yet, he couldn't remember where he placed his phone five minutes ago.

Julius groaned behind Mina and started to search the kitchen drawers for the missing cellular device.

From what Mina could observe Julius was fresh out of the shower. He wasn't even fully dressed for that matter. He must have been in quite a hurry.

"Please don't make a mess." Mina lightly scolded the older man as she scrubbed a greasy plate with increased vigor. She could feel Julius's perturbed gaze on her back for a second and she giggled. "I didn't lose your phone, grumpy. You did."

She stacked some dried dishes into the cupboard and almost ran into Julius, who was frantically rummaging through the drawers. A plate slid away from the top of the pile suddenly and Julius quickly caught it before it hit the floor. He handed the dish to Mina with concern,

"I didn't mean to bump you."

"It's all right." Mina placed the dish in its rightful cabinet with a shaky hand and closed the door shut before Julius could do any further damage. She turned around and ran smack into Julius's chest. She bounced back onto the counter with a red face and stammered angrily, "Really, Mr. Belmont, would you mind putting some clothes on?"

"I will when I find that dang phone." Julius replied gruffly and threw cutlery back into the drawers.

Mina's anger quickly subsided as she observed the pitiful sight. She had to stifle another bout of laughter to avoid upsetting the frazzled Belmont. She shook her head and washed her hands before piping up, "If you're in a hurry, I could probably help you look for it."

"Huh?" Julius slammed the last drawer shut and made a terrible face. It took him a moment to reply, "It's okay. I can find it."

Mina pursed her lips and planted her fists on her hips. She marched over to where Julius stood by the door way and lashed him with a righteous fury, "I was only offering to help! You could at least acknowledge that!"

Taken aback by her sudden outburst, Julius was left speechless. He realized how stupid he had been and his wrath melted into embarrassment. He reached behind his head and scratched thoughtfully as he tried to come up with another apology.

"Oh, never mind." Mina shrank back and leaned against the door frame beside Julius with a look of exasperation. Her eyes brightened as an intelligible thought crossed her mind as to the whereabouts of Julius's precious phone. She spoke in a small voice, "What about the bathroom? Did you look there?"

"Why would I leave it in there? It could get wet or damaged; I'm not that stupid." Julius arched his eyebrows and glanced up the stairway in the next room. His eyes remained fixed on the upper level of the house where the bathroom was. As each minute passed, his eyes became wider.

"Julius...?" Mina waved her hand around in front of his face but received no reaction.

The befuddled Belmont stalked into the next room with the speed and grace of an entranced corpse. Mina curiously followed him up the stairs and down the darkened corridor until they stopped in front of the grand bathroom.

In one dramatic thrust, Julius flipped the lights on and surveyed the room carefully. He walked around the toilet and tub, trying to retrace his steps from the early morning hours. Finally, he halted in front of the toilet and knelt down to reach behind it, much to Mina's horror.

"What in heaven's name are you doing? It's disgusting behind there!" Mina bent over and tried to get a closer look at what Julius was reaching for.

Julius emerged victoriously with a slimy, dirty cell phone clutched in his left hand. He bolted upright and roared happily, "I remembered where it was! It's not old age!"

Mina edged along the wall and tried to sneak out of the bathroom quietly. Julius was scary when he started yelling like that. Sure, he was in better spirits but he was also highly unpredictable in such a mood.

Before Mina could escape, Julius swept her up into his arms and paraded out of the bathroom with a boyish grin that reached his ears. He continued to ramble on about how old he wasn't and that he 'still had it.'

Mina decided it was best to let Julius have his brief moment of glory. He carried her all the way down the stairs before he let her go. With a whistle, he left Mina to finish getting ready for work.

Mina finally laughed and shook her head, "Men can be such boys."


	2. Questionable Content

A sliver of light pierced the unending darkness of the study as the door creaked open. This was the room that Genya had occupied since the events at Celia's castle and village. If he wasn't out with Soma, he was cooped up in here. He would even bolt the door to deter any intruders.

"I'm not sure about this." Mina whispered behind Julius as they crept into the dreary room. She wrinkled her nose and sneezed suddenly. She always hated how the room smelled of cheap cologne and old leather. To top it off, Genya was a slob and never bothered cleaning up after himself.

Julius added with a grin, "One look won't hurt. Besides, I think he's up to something."

Stopping at Genya's cluttered desk, Julius stroked his beard before making any hasty decisions as to where his search should begin. He cocked one eye open in the direction of the drawers and glanced over at his partner in crime.

"Isn't this an invasion of privacy? Genya has rights too, you know." Mina stared back at the door with a great longing and then back at Julius. She even frowned for emphasis.

Julius didn't look convinced.

She sighed; he was as stubborn as ever. He had a one-track mind, just like every other man in the house. Were she and Yoko the only levelheaded people there? It made her wonder.

"Did you get the key?" Julius broke her concentration and held out his hand.

Mina pulled a brass key out of her apron pocket and tossed it over to Julius clumsily. She crossed her arms and chirped, "I don't like this, Mr. Belmont. What exactly are we looking for anyways?"

Julius jammed the key into first drawer's lock and yanked it open. He beckoned Mina closer and sorted through the many documents that were piled in. Nothing of interest caught his eye and his grin flopped into a dissatisfied frown almost immediately.

"See? I told you he wasn't up to anything." Mina chided and dusted off her skirt.

"Why would he lock the door and keep everyone out if he wasn't hiding anything?" Julius replied sardonically and moved over to the next drawer. He flew into frenzy when none of its contents shocked or surprised him. He grit his teeth and approached the last drawer on the far side of the desk.

"This is ridiculous." Mina huffed and narrowed her eyes in Julius's direction. She crossed the floor to where Julius stood in defeat and tugged on his sleeve. Once she grabbed his attention, she pleaded with him, "Can I go now?"

"No way, sweetheart. I need a witness." Julius reached around her waist and pulled her beside him. He slowly unlocked the last drawer and took a deep breath. He stared down at the compartment and mumbled, "This is it."

The drawer slid open and the light from the foyer shimmered off of a glossy surface within. Julius's eyes lit up like a pinball machine as he pulled a lofty stack of books out of the desk and held them up to the light. His mouth hung open as he exclaimed, "What the hell is this?"

"What is it?" Mina curiously poked her head around Julius's big arm and tried to get a closer look.

"Nothing a lady needs to see." Julius shoved the books back into the desk and grumbled, "That bastard, he's even sicker than I thought."

"Let me see!" Mina reached over and pulled the drawer open before Julius could stop her. She pulled one of the books out and stepped into the light to see what all of the fuss was about. Her eyes widened as she dropped the scandalous material onto the carpet below. She shouted back at Julius, "Why didn't you tell me it was that?"

"I told you not to look." Julius locked the drawer and pocketed the key.

"What are you smiling about? That's disgusting!" Mina shuddered and quickly left the room.

"That was some pretty racy stuff. I just can't see Genya reading things like that." Julius dove into his thoughts again and scratched his chin. His smile grew with each passing second.

"You're as much of a pervert as he is!" Mina pushed him away and marched up the stairs shouting all sorts of derogatory things about men and their apparent obsession with anything remotely sexual.

Julius intently watched Mina climb the stairs and let his eyes wander for a minute. He suddenly stopped himself and chuckled, "What am I doing?"

Something had stirred within him. It was a disturbing thought but Julius had to accept his conclusion as it truly was: Mina was adorable when she was angry.


	3. He's No Prince Charming

It was such a dreary day. The rain tapped along the roof in a melancholic symphony accompanied by an occasional blast of cymbaltic thunder. Lightning made strange and ugly shadows dance along the wall to the uneven beat of the pouring rain.

Mina sat in the large armchair at the center of the family room with her head stuffed between her knees. Desperate sobs and sniffles echoed through her open hands as she mourned the afternoon's tragedy.

She and Soma had an argument and ended up breaking their date scheduled for that evening. The disagreement started over something so small and petty, Mina couldn't remember what it was.

As she sat there bawling, Julius came down the stairs to see what all of the fuss was. He peered into the dimly lit room and frowned at the sight that greeted him. He had heard Soma yelling earlier and figured something went awry.

"Mina?" He asked quietly and slipped into the room. He approached the chair from behind and stared down at the weepy girl sympathetically. What exactly did Soma say to upset her so?

"P-please go away." Mina stuttered through her cries and turned away from Julius. The grip around her face tightened as her fit continued despite Julius's presence.

In the gloom, Julius's frown softened into a smile as he placed his hand onto Mina's shoulder and leaned over to whisper, "I heard what happened from upstairs."

"I told him to keep his voice down." Mina sneezed and slowly lifted her head to stare up at Julius. She pulled her hand across her eyes and sniffed again. She added with a hiccup, "He just doesn't understand. He won't even listen."

"I'm gonna have to talk some sense into that boy." Julius chuckled as he gently rubbed Mina's shoulder to calm her. When the sobs ceased, he circled around the chair so that he faced Mina. She still seemed to be upset and that didn't satisfy him. He pulled a red handkerchief out of his coat pocket and offered it to her.

"Maybe I'm overreacting." Mina sighed and blew her nose into the handkerchief. She slumped forward and handed the dirty handkerchief back to Julius.

"Uh, maybe this isn't my place," Julius started in a low voice and set the handkerchief on the coffee table. He seized Mina's little hand suddenly and lifted her out of the chair. "But that's not how he should treat a lady."

Mina glanced up at him with a questioning gaze.

"A real man wouldn't yell at a woman. Not for any reason." Julius drew Mina closer and reluctantly placed his other arm around her waist. He continued in an awkward voice, "Soma should have stopped and listened."

Mina tilted her head and stammered, "He's not very good at that."

"Well, he'd better learn." Julius mumbled as his fingers wandered into her hair. He brushed her bangs away from her eyes and turned her head towards him. He muttered again, "He just doesn't realize how good he has it already."

Mina's face turned three shades of red as she stared up at Julius in confusion. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came to mind so she remained silent. She had never seen this side of him before and it frightened her a little.

"He should have told you how cute you look." Julius added with a shaky tone and leaned over so that his face was only an inch or so from Mina's. He could feel her pushing against his chest but he continued, "If I was Soma, I'd have kissed you on the spot."

Despite Mina's gentle hints, Julius took her face into his hands and pulled her into a wanton kiss. His hands moved to her hips and tugged her further in as the seconds flew by.

"But, that's just me." Julius grinned crookedly as he released Mina.

And then she slapped him across the face.

"How could you?" Mina sputtered and pursed her lips in a pouty manner.

Julius simply laughed and rubbed the sore spot on his cheek before leaving the room in a hurry. Mina followed him to the base of the stairs and stamped her feet. When he was out of sight, she ambled back into the family room with her finger pushed against her lips. She dizzily plopped into the chair again and blurted, "What was that?"

She wasn't referring to the kiss, either.


	4. Mum's the Word

"It has to be in here somewhere..."

Light flooded into Julius's room as Mina flipped the switch beside the door. She hesitantly stepped into the room and glanced around for the item in question, Julius's car keys. She had left her purse in his car the other afternoon when he had driven her to the grocery store.

"Ugh, he's such a slob." Mina thought aloud and slanted her eyes in disapproval as she scanned the disheveled floor for Julius's coat. He never bothered to hang it on the coat rack by the front door like everyone else. He usually tossed it onto his bed or the floor until he needed it again. An ash tray lay upon the corner of the dresser and told Mina enough; he had been smoking in the house again.

She disregarded the ash tray for a moment and frantically searched underneath the bed. Julius only stepped out of the house for a brief stroll around the terrace and he would probably be back any moment.

"A-ha!" Mina squeaked triumphantly and pulled Julius's coat out of a pile of dirty clothes. The coat had all sorts of odd stains and marks on it, most likely from Julius's hazardous profession as a monster exterminator. Mina almost gagged at the smell when she laid the coat onto the bed and opened it.

It was such a weighty piece of leather; what on earth could the Belmont have stashed within its limitless compartments? Mina reluctantly dug into the first outer pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She glared down at the cigarettes contemptibly and threw them onto the mattress. She rummaged through the inner pockets and pulled out a most curious weapon, if you wanted to call it that. She turned the object over in her little hands and concluded that it was some kind of pistol. But it wasn't Julius's keys.

Tears sprang from Mina's eyes as she collapsed onto the bed from frustration. She groaned and mumbled into a pillow just as Julius walked into the room. He stopped by the door and noticed Mina right away.

"Mina, what are you doing in here? Julius asked in a stern voice and crossed his arms awaiting her reply.

Her body suddenly tensed as Julius's booming voice reached her little ears. She peered up at him from the bed with a sheepish grin and glanced down at his coat. She opened her mouth to reply but her throat dried up immediately. Guilt descended over the girl as she sluggishly crossed the room to where he stood and answered in a small voice, "I was looking for your car keys."

"Why didn't you just ask me where they were?" Julius pulled the keys out of his pants pocket and dangled them before Mina's eyes. He added with a cruel chuckle, "I never keep them in my coat."

Sniffles and hiccups told Julius he had gone too far with his teasing. He threw his arms around Mina's shoulder and laughed dryly. The pistol clutched between Mina's hands caught his attention and he queried, "Where did you find that?"

"This? It was in your coat." Mina handed him the gun and watched him aim at a spot on the wall. She suddenly screamed, "What are you doing, Julius?"

A steady stream of holy water spouted from the pistol's barrel as Julius pulled the trigger. He shook his head and handed the gun back to Mina with another chuckle, "I thought that was gone for good. It was a gag gift from Hammer for my birthday last week."

"Is that a water gun?" Mina found herself giggling along with Julius.

They strolled out into the hallway and down the stairs, laughing all the way. Julius had thrown his coat on and pulled Mina closer as he pointed outside. "Why don't we go for a drive?"

Mina enthusiastically nodded and grabbed onto his arm suddenly. They left the musty manor behind and stepped into a brand new scene; a place where they had known each other for a lifetime and no one could tell them that what they felt was an abomination. That secret place where anything can happen.

That's where they remained for the duration of the sleepy afternoon.


	5. Sweet Dreams

An unusual chill crept into Mina's bedroom. She promptly responded by jerking the blankets up over her little head and snorting angrily. As a result, she could hardly breathe.

Another grunt and the blankets were hurled into the floor. Mina had sat upright and folded her arms over her chest out of aggravation. Her face was contorted into a pouty scrunch and her eyes were barely visible. She mumbled for a moment before picking the blankets off of the floor and settling back into her bed. She shut her eyes and tried to doze off once more.

Light crawled under the space between her door and the carpet. Apparently, someone had just waked up.

Mina rolled away from the door and disregarded the light. Sweet slumber weighed heavily upon her golden eyes, promising a wonderful array of dreams and a well-deserved rest.

Two doors down, Julius was about to get ready for work. He fumbled around in the hall closet searching for a clean towel, unaware that Mina was still asleep in the room next door. As such, he made a lot of racket dropping things and throwing them back onto their shelves.

Finally, Julius pulled an unused towel out of a dusty corner and slammed the closet door shut with a whistle. He strolled down the corridor with a spring in his step and a grin on his big, goofy face. One could easily assume that he was a 'morning person.'

Mina shifted around in her canopy bed like a beached tuna. She sat up again and turned her vengeful eyes toward the door. She climbed out of bed and stepped out into the hallway, intent upon giving poor, unsuspecting Julius a piece of her mind.

She carefully padded down the hall in her little nightgown towards the bathroom. The lights were switched off almost immediately and Mina pressed her ear against the bathroom door.

The shower had been started and Mina had second thoughts about her anger. It was possible that the bathroom's occupant had no clue of her sleeping in that morning. She usually got up early.

She sighed and pushed away from the door. Her better judgment counseled against such rash behavior and simply commanded she go back to sleep.

That is, until Julius turned on the radio and started singing.

Embers reignited within Mina's eyes as she stomped over to the bathroom and threw the door open without thinking. She opened her mouth wide to scold Julius into kingdom-come, but the sight that greeted her silenced her quickly.

_"Living on a prayer!" _Julius's deep voice strained and squeezed to get the melody out. He had taken the shower head away from its stand and used it as a microphone of sorts. _"WHOOOAAAAAA! Living on a prayer!"_

Mina finally tapped into reality and a shrilly scream escaped her throat, almost splitting the ceiling open. She pointed up at Julius's bare form through the veil of the transparent shower curtain and shrieked again, "Oh God!"

"Holy crap!" Julius hollered and tumbled over the edge of the bathtub. He clutched his achy head and stared up at Mina with a startled look in his eyes. He instinctively snatched his towel away from the sink and pulled it around his bare waist.

The music continued in the background as Mina stood in the middle of the bathroom staring at Julius with her innocent eyes wide. She had stopped screaming; she just couldn't seem to look away from Julius.

"Uh, Mina," Julius spoke in an awkward tone and clapped a hand onto her shoulder. "You should probably go back to bed now. I'll turn the music off."

Mina didn't reply.

"What exactly did you see?" Julius asked suddenly and tugged the towel closer to his body with a shiver.

"See?" Mina answered vapidly as her eyes fell below to the floor.

Julius grinned crookedly and lifted her chin so that their eyes met. He leaned over and whispered into her ear, "You're more than welcome to stick around for the rest of the show."

"How dare you even suggest something so lewd?" Mina squawked suddenly and swatted at Julius before storming out of the room.

Julius followed her into the hallway and called after her, "Come back, Mina!"

She slammed the door to her bedroom, much to Julius's satisfaction. His scheme to get her away from the bathroom had worked beautifully and he could resume his morning routine at last.

Mina flopped onto her bed sobbing and shouting like a child. She buried her face in a lacy pillow and whined about how disgusting Julius's invitation was. Her cries ended abruptly as she recalled the ridiculous scene of him dancing in the shower as if he were a teenage boy.

Mina's face was red and feverish as she crawled under the sheets to finish her beauty rest. The weight upon her eyes promised a sweeter sleep this time, and with far more interesting dreams.


	6. Why Men Don't Shop

"I hate shopping malls." Julius grumbled as he fought his way through a crowd of eager consumers. Struggling to ignore all of the superficial gossiping, he finally made it the other side of the building and boarded the escalator. He panted and clung to the railing; he was already exhausted. Perhaps it was his seniority catching up with him?

He wrinkled his brows and discarded the notion immediately. Something about being a man and never admitting to your shortcomings stopped him from thinking any further on the matter. His pace quickened as he scanned the mall's upper level for a store worth his interest.

A particular shop stood out among the rest; it was surrounded by chatty women and tacky vendors. And, for some bizarre reason, it beckoned Julius closer. He reluctantly entered the gaggle of women and quickly regretted his decision to do so.

Suddenly, he was the object of attention. The younger patrons giggled and whispered as he passed by, as if mock him for trying to assimilate himself. The older women, however, sighed and swooned as if they had never seen a man before.

When Julius did make his way into the shop, it was more than he had anticipated. The air was heavy with a cloying, chokingly sweet aroma that blasted him in the face as he approached the counter. He leaned on the counter and gasped for air.

"Can I help you with something, sir?"

A young woman stared down at him with a puzzled expression from the other side of the counter. Her uniform attire and professionalism suggested she was one of the store's employees.

"Uh, well," Julius stuttered as he struggled to stand upright and continued, "I'm in the market for a birthday present."

"For whom? A wife or daughter, perhaps?" The young lady asked quietly. Her face turned three shades of pink when Julius finally raised his head and met gazes with her.

"She's just a really close friend."

The girl stepped away from the counter, deep in thought, and glanced back at Julius momentarily before asking, "Well, it all depends on her personality and what she means to you."

Julius opened his mouth to reply but couldn't find the words to describe his strange relationship with Mina. After careful deliberation, he decided to be honest with himself. Mina meant a lot to him, especially of late.

"She's a really sweet girl." Julius mumbled under his breath and scratched behind his head.

The young woman across the counter giggled and sighed, "She's lucky, too. You obviously adore her, coming in a place like this. You're a brave man."

"So they tell me." Julius answered with a relaxed huff; at last, someone had acknowledged his courage.

"I have just the thing for you."

The girl disappeared into a room behind the counter and left Julius to wander the store for a moment. He strolled along the pink carpet to inspect the curious merchandise. A three-tiered display caught his attention, draped in red satin and smothered with glittery confetti.

"Is this supposed to be what I think it is?"

He plucked a pair of racy underwear from the stand and held it into the light. The store's other patrons passed him with weird looks and hushed whispers.

"Cute." Julius chuckled wryly and flicked the silky merchandise back onto its stand.

"Sir?" A soft voice called him from the front of the store.

Julius's face lit up as he ran back to the counter. He shouted suddenly, "This is perfect!"

The young lady simply smiled and nodded...

"Oh, you bought something for me, Julius?" Mina giggled.

"I hope you like it." Julius murmured as he watched Mina tear into her present.

She pulled a lacy white nightgown out of the box and a small bottle of flowery perfume. Her eyes watered at the sight and she gasped, "Oh Julius, you shouldn't have! It must have been so expensive..."

The gifts were set aside as Mina threw her little arms around Julius and planted a grateful kiss on his firm jaw line. She laughed again before cradling her head against his big arm.

"What's so funny?" Julius asked with a shaky voice.

"You are!" She stifled another bout of laughter and swept her companion's unruly bangs away from his eyes. "That was so sweet of you to think of me."

Julius fell into the tide of the moment and opted for a little added pleasure. "Well, why don't you try it on? I want to make sure it fits you properly..."

Mina gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. Her mind wandered off into a dark, forbidden place as she tried to dismiss Julius's ridiculous request. All he wanted was to see her in the frilly nightgown, anyways.

Then again, he was the one who bought it for her. She could at least give him something in return.

"Well, if you really want me to..." Mina tapped his nose and headed for the stairs. "I'll only be a minute..."

"Take your time!" Julius shouted after her.

He spent the next fifteen minutes trying to keep all of the blood in head from escaping. It was difficult to conceal his excitement. He hadn't seen this much action in thirty years.

Then again, he had never been loved this way his entire life, so it was worth the wait.


	7. What She Saw There

"None shall have you but me!"

Shrieks and high-pitched laughter tore through the dungeon walls as Mina was forced into a dingy cell. She could feel her captor's thin hands clamp over her hips like a pair of vice grips and squeeze until she hollered in pain.

"Does it hurt, my precious?" He hissed and stepped out of the cell to lock her inside. Twirling the keys around his bony fingers and cackling, he continued, "Where is your knight in shining armor? I thought he was supposed to protect you."

Mina was in a daze. She stared up at Genya through the steel bars and struggled to stand up.

"Where am I?" She asked in a startled voice and glanced around the dungeon for any familiarity. It was such a disgusting place, like something straight out of Castlevania. All manner of insects seemed to infest the cobbled floor and walls. An ungodly stench was the result of stagnant water leaking through the floor above.

"However," Genya approached the cell and touched Mina's tiny hand gingerly. "If you were to consent and become my bride, I would consider releasing you."

Mina's face went white with horror. She quickly pulled away from the prison bars and retreated to the corner of her cell like a hunted animal. Genya wouldn't stop staring at her with that strange look in his eyes. As if he could destroy her innocence in that very instant.

"Oh, did I frighten you?" Genya asked with false sympathy and leaned on the cell door.

"This is insane..." Mina replied in a whisper and huddled against the wall for security. She could no longer bear his gaze, the icy stare of a raving madman, and turned her face towards a small window just above her head. Gloom was all the outside offered her. The sky was completely devoid of light and anything wholesome. It made her skin crawl.

The cell door slowly creaked open and Genya was suddenly upon Mina. He bore down on her shivery frame almost immediately and chuckled, "There's no use trying to hide it, my dear. I can taste the fear on your every ragged breath. How intoxicating..."

Mina froze in the moment. Blood drained away from her face as Genya's hands started to misbehave. He whispered one vulgarity after another into her ear until she could take no more.

"Stop it!"

Genya was sprawled out on the dungeon floor with a red mark splayed across his pale cheek. He rubbed the sore spot with a sinister grin and stood upright. No sooner had he reached out to seize Mina by the throat than a sharp crack echoed behind him. His hand had been lassoed by a leathery whip and he was forced back into the prison bars.

"I don't think so." Julius stood behind Genya and tethered him to the steel before addressing Mina, "Are you all right?"

She had collapsed onto the floor out of shock and silently stared up at Julius with tears in her eyes. Her vision blurred and she could barely make out her hero's image as he scooped her up into his arms.

"I know you're scared." Julius began in a softer tone as he crossed the room to where he had made his entrance. Light flooded onto the gray scenery as Julius stepped out of the dungeon. He smiled down at Mina and added, "It's okay now. Don't cry anymore."

Mina groaned and sat upright. The bright landscape had melted into the solitary darkness of her bedroom. She rubbed her eyes and yawned; it must have been a dream.

She found herself laughing quietly before settling under the blanket, "That's the last cup of oolong tea I drink before bed time."


	8. Bikini Season

Julius awakened to the whirring and clanging of the old dish washer. It churned like a broken engine as it went about its arduous task. Occasionally, it would shudder and belch bubbles from the space between the walls.

Julius groaned. He was laid back in a steel chair, behind the kitchen table, and his back wasn't taking it too well.

He flicked his damp hair away from his eyes. The tabletop was smothered in saliva and his red bandana stuck to him like a second skin, cold and clammy. He recalled aloud what he had been doing before his nap.

"Planning that damn vacation."

His own laborious tone didn't surprise him. Aside from work, he didn't get around much, so a vacation was an entirely new matter to him. Magazines and brochures were scattered across the table beneath his cramped fingers. Glaring down at them, he pushed them away and turned his attentions to the doorway beyond the kitchen where Mina now stood.

"Enjoy your nap?" She asked casually and stepped into the kitchen quietly. Humming a cheerful tune, she approached the dish washer to observe its progress. Her attention was stolen as Julius heaved a sigh behind her back.

Scattered advertisements drew her closer to the table, just as Julius had predicted. His elbows rested on the table's surface and concealed a wicked grin. He carefully watched Mina inch closer to where he sat out of curiosity.

"What's all this?"

Mina leaned over his shoulder and plucked one of the brochures away from the table. Images of sunny islands and tropical paradises flickered through its luminescent pages, dazzling Mina.

"The boss said I need a vacation." Julius grumbled under his breath.

He stole a glance over his shoulder and his smile widened. Mina was hypnotized by the blissful promises of the travel articles; her eyes sparkled as if it were Christmas morning. She threw the papers up into the air and locked her arms around Julius's sturdy neck, declaring,

"That's a wonderful idea!"

Julius feigned another disgruntled murmur and slumped over onto the table top. His heart romped around inside of his ribcage; how long could he keep this charade up before Mina got the message?

"How about this one?" Mina interjected and thrust a large ad into his face.

Julius's patience disappeared and he snatched the ad away from her. The brochure was crumbled into a tiny ball and thrown towards the trash can.

"Come on, Mina," Julius began in a low voice. "What's the point in going on a vacation if you have to go alone?"

He had pinned her against the wall out of all the confusion. To his surprise, Mina put up no resistance whatsoever. She didn't even look startled.

"Well, why didn't you ask me to begin with?"

She smiled and slid her hand along Julius's chin affectionately.

"You'll go?" He asked incredulously. His heart had leapt into his throat by this point.

"I want to go somewhere tropical!" Mina shouted suddenly and slipped away from Julius momentarily to pick through the ads on the table. She grabbed another travel magazine and gasped, "Oh, I just love the ocean. It's so romantic."

Julius still faced the wall in disbelief. Mina's touch had branded his face with heat and he struggled to regain his usual composure.

"Julius?"

He clumsily whirled around and flopped back into his chair. Each ragged breath tore through his lungs and racked his body with pain. Blood drummed around in his ears like horse hooves and his vision started to blur.

Mina laughed. She understood the poor man's dilemma all too well. Such a kindly gesture could make any tough guy sweat with embarrassment. She approached Julius from behind and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Tensions subsided as Julius relaxed under her gentle grip around his shoulders. His hand folded over one of Mina's little arms and he muttered, "How did this happen?"

Mina giggled again and buried her head into the collar of his undershirt. She hesitantly kissed Julius's rough neck and withdrew to the kitchen counter immediately after. All boldness and courage faded from her visage as she watched Julius stand out of the corner of her eye.

"A tropical spot wouldn't be a bad idea." He said her stolen bravery evident in his new tone. He continued with a sly grin, "Besides, it'd be nice to see you bare some flesh in a cute bathing suit."

Mina's face reddened as she circled around to defend her dignity.

"I'd look terrible in a bikini! You'd only be disappointed."

She crossed her arms and sighed. Truth be told, she was no buxom beauty; just a short girl with a bit of a figure, that was all. He had probably seen better in a magazine.

"I'll be the judge of that."

Julius pushed her onto the counter and leaned over to kiss her. Instead of Mina's lips, he met the palm of her hand instead as she shyly pushed his face away.

"Nice try, princess, but you can't get away that easily." Julius replied gruffly through her hand.

After several bouts of Julius's verbal persuasion, Mina ceased her petty resistance and decided to let him have his way; a decision that undoubtedly proved wise, as she spent the remainder of the afternoon getting better acquainted with his other methods of persuasion.

Being the gentleman that Julius was, he stopped their rendezvous before things got out of hand. And, he actually agreed to go shopping with Mina because of their close encounter.

The summer heat or bikini season, which was responsible for such inappropriate behavior among friends?

Neither. It was simply meant to be.


End file.
